Publications by authors named "Robert F"

Molecular staples or interfacial inhibitors are small molecules that exert their activity through co-association with macromolecules leading to various effects on target functions. Some molecules inhibit target activity, while others generate gain-of-function complexes. We and others have previously identified two structurally distinct classes of molecular staples, pateamine A and rocaglates.

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Polyurethane (PU) thermoplastics and thermosets were prepared through the step-growth polymerization of generated polyisocyanates through the decarboxylation of polyoxamic acids, in the presence of phenyliodine diacetate (PIDA), and polyols. The CO produced during the reaction allowed the access to self-blown polyurethane foams through an endogenous chemical blowing. The acetic acid released from ligand exchange at the iodine center was also shown to accelerate the polymerization reaction, avoiding the recourse to an additional catalyst.

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Article Synopsis
  • The Cu-catalyzed Ullmann-Goldberg cross-coupling successfully creates N-aryloxamates from aryl iodides and oxamates, achieving moderate to excellent yields when using bulky tertiary alkyl oxamate precursors.
  • The process involves producing oxamic acids via acid hydrolysis of these oxamates, with high yields observed.
  • While electron-deficient N-aryl oxamic acids form urethanes efficiently, those that are electron-rich suffer from lower yields due to over-oxidation of the aryl groups during the reaction.
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Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an inherited neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) with frequent manifestations of epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). TSC is caused by inactivating mutations in or tumor suppressor genes, with encoded proteins hamartin (TSC1) and tuberin (TSC2) forming a functional complex inhibiting mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling. This has led to treatment with allosteric mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin analogs ("rapalogs") for TSC tumors; however, rapalogs are ineffective for treating neurodevelopmental manifestations.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study evaluates the effectiveness of a scleral contact lens with near-infrared lasers (CLP) in enhancing video-based eye tracking performance in various lighting conditions, especially outdoors.
  • - CLP demonstrated tracking accuracy of better than 1° under challenging lighting, while a commercial eye tracker (Pupil Core) performed excellently indoors but substantially poorly outdoors.
  • - The results suggest that CLP could significantly boost the reliability of eye tracking systems in outdoor environments by offering easily detectable features.
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Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is caused by defective nucleotide excision repair of DNA damage. This results in hypersensitivity to ultraviolet light and increased skin cancer risk, as sunlight-induced photoproducts remain unrepaired. However, many XP patients also display early-onset neurodegeneration, which leads to premature death.

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Generation and subsequently accessibility of secondary findings (SF) in diagnostic practice is a subject of debate around the world and particularly in Europe. The French FIND study has been set up to assess patient/parent expectations regarding SF from exome sequencing (ES) and to collect their real-life experience until 1 year after the delivery of results. 340 patients who had ES for undiagnosed developmental disorders were included in this multicenter mixed study (quantitative N = 340; qualitative N = 26).

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Bovine respiratory diseases (BRDs) have major socioeconomic impacts in the beef sector. Antimicrobials have been traditionally used to prevent the development of BRDs upon arrival in fattening units. Currently, from a "One Health and One Welfare" perspective, alternative solutions are being investigated.

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The plant plasma membrane (PM) plays a key role in perception of environmental signals, and set-up of adaptive responses. An exhaustive and quantitative description of the whole set of lipids and proteins constituting the PM is necessary to understand how these components allow to fulfill such essential physiological functions. Here we provide by state-of-the-art approaches the first combined reference of the plant PM lipidome and proteome from Arabidopsis thaliana suspension cell culture.

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Oxamic acids where shown to add to imines, providing a broad range of α-aminoacid amides in generally good yields. The process is efficient on pre-formed imines but may also be conducted using a 3-component strategy by simply mixing aldehydes, amines and oxamic acids in the presence of ferrocene, acting both as a photocatalyst under visible light and as a Lewis acid. The reaction proceeds through the addition onto the imine of a carbamoyl radical intermediate generated through a charge transfer from the carboxylate ligand to a Fe(iii) species (LMCT).

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Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a severe complication of liver diseases characterized by abnormal dilation of pulmonary vessels, resulting in impaired oxygenation. Recent research highlights the pivotal role of liver-produced BMP-9 (bone morphogenetic protein-9) in maintaining pulmonary vascular integrity. This study aimed to investigate the involvement of BMP-9 in human and experimental HPS.

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Background: NF2-associated meningiomas are progressive, highly morbid, and nonresponsive to chemotherapies, highlighting the need for improved treatments. We have established aberrant activation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling in -deficient tumors, leading to clinical trials with first- and second-generation mTOR inhibitors. However, results have been mixed, showing stabilized tumor growth without shrinkage offset by adverse side effects.

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In this study, we aimed to address the current limitations of therapies for macro-metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and provide a therapeutic lead that overcomes the high degree of heterogeneity associated with this disease. Specifically, we focused on well-documented but clinically underexploited cancer-fueling perturbations in mRNA translation as a potential therapeutic vulnerability. We therefore developed an orally bioavailable rocaglate-based molecule, MG-002, which hinders ribosome recruitment and scanning via unscheduled and non-productive RNA clamping by the eukaryotic translation initiation factor (eIF) 4A RNA helicase.

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In budding yeast, fermentation is the most important pathway for energy production. Under low-glucose conditions, ethanol is used for synthesis of this sugar requiring a shift to respiration. This process is controlled by the transcriptional regulators Cat8, Sip4, Rds2 and Ert1.

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Background: Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an inherited neurocutaneous disorder caused by mutations in the TSC1 or TSC2 genes, with patients often exhibiting neurodevelopmental (ND) manifestations termed TSC-associated neuropsychiatric disorders (TAND) including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability. Hamartin (TSC1) and tuberin (TSC2) proteins form a complex inhibiting mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling. Loss of TSC1 or TSC2 activates mTORC1 that, among several targets, controls protein synthesis by inhibiting translational repressor eIF4E-binding proteins.

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TFIIH is an essential transcription initiation factor for RNA polymerase II (RNApII). This multi-subunit complex comprises two modules that are physically linked by the subunit Tfb3 (MAT1 in metazoans). The TFIIH Core Module, with two DNA-dependent ATPases and several additional subunits, promotes DNA unwinding.

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Dual Ni and Ir catalysis enables the preparation of arylsilanes having a (TMS)Si substituent from the corresponding aryl bromides and (TMS)SiH at 30 °C using visible-light irradiation. This protocol avoids strong bases, high temperature and air and moisture sensitive silyl reagents, providing the expected arylsilanes in moderate to good yields. The reaction was shown to proceed through a silyl radical, likely generated by hydrogen atom abstraction from (TMS)SiH by a bromide radical.

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Eukaryotic transcription occurs on chromatin, where RNA polymerase II encounters nucleosomes during elongation. These nucleosomes must unravel for the DNA to enter the active site. However, in most transcribed genes, nucleosomes remain intact due to transcription-coupled chromatin assembly mechanisms.

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Dengue virus serotype 4 (DENV-4) has been the rarest circulating serotype in Malaysia, resulting in it being an understudied area. A recent observation from institutional surveillance data indicated a rapid increase in DENV-4-infected cases. The present study aimed to investigate the resurgence of DENV-4 in relation to the demographic, clinical and genomic profiles of 75 retrospective dengue samples.

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Sickle cell disease (SCD) poses an increased risk of infertility, pregnancy complications and maternal and perinatal mortality among women of reproductive age. This risk is particularly higher for women in sub-Saharan Africa, where the disease burden is highest and access to comprehensive health care is limited, as well as in other countries with a high SCD prevalence due to migration. Disease modifying treatments for SCD could directly and indirectly harm the ovaries, potentially compromising quality and quantity of existing oocytes.

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In this issue of Molecular Cell, Abril-Garrido et al. used cryo-EM to uncover that the +1 nucleosome inhibits transcription by interfering with the function of the TFIIH translocase via mechanisms that depend on its position relative to the transcription start site.

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Understanding exoelectrogenic bacteria mechanisms and their interactions in complex biofilm is critical for the development of microbial fuel cells (MFCs). In this article, assumptions concerning the benefits of the complex sediment microbial community for electricity production were explored with both the complex microbial community and isolates identified as Shewanella. Analysis of the microbial community revealed a strong influence of the sediment community on anodes and electrolytes compared to that of only water.

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In this paper we present an infrared laser pointer, consisting of a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) and a diffractive optical element (DOE), encapsulated into a scleral contact lens (SCL). The VCSEL is powered remotely by inductive coupling from a primary antenna embedded into an eyewear frame. The DOE is used either to collimate the laser beam or to project a pattern image at a chosen distance in front of the eye.

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Visible-light-mediated intramolecular site-selective δ-C(sp)-H bond arylation of aliphatic trifluoromethanesulfonamides was developed. The reaction proceeds through a radical cascade, including the generation of a sulfonamidyl radical, which triggers a 1,5-hydrogen atom transfer, affording a δ-C-centered radical, which finally cyclized onto a neighboring thiopolyfluoroaryl moiety to deliver a range of synthetically useful thiochromanes. The cyclization process occurs through two distinct pathways depending upon the nature of the substituent X to the native C-S bond.

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